1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light alloy frame profile system. Such light alloy frame profile systems are used for doors, windows and in particular for automatic door systems, and include a plurality of profiles that are fastened to one another by means of fastening areas. On such systems, the door leaves and the side pieces, if any, can pivot outward if necessary, so that the passage width can be doubled without having to unlock any type of lock. A profile of the side piece is thereby located in a stationary fashion on a floor profile that is fastened on the floor side, while the floor guide device that consists of a mounting and a roller is fastened to a profile of the door leaf. The individual profiles abut one another perpendicularly and are fastened to one another by means of corresponding profile connectors.
2. Background Information
A similar door system is described in German Utility Model DE 92 04 636 U1. The profile system described in this publication is composed of a number of different individual profiles. On account of the different configurations of the connecting areas, the connection of the individual profiles requires detailed and extensive installation know-how. The assembly and installation process is accordingly never the same twice and is very time-consuming. A number of different tools and tool applications are required for the fabrication process.
Additional frame profile systems are described in GB 2 238 322 A and European Patent document 0 565 492 A2. The structures of the individual profiles are extremely complex and material-intensive, as a result of which the fabrication process is correspondingly complex, expensive and time-consuming. Moreover, different connections between the individual profiles are required within each individual system.
European 0554 438 B1 also describes doors that are mounted so that they can pivot. In this case, the doors are mounted by means of an upper and lower support arm on a continuous vertical shaft. One disadvantage of this design is that the force is transmitted to the structure in individual points. The loads that occur are absorbed by the solid configuration of the shaft, which means that a great deal of material must be used, which significantly increases the weight of the door system. The visible and exposed shaft also has an undesirable effect on the appearance of the door and takes up a great deal of space. German Laid Open Patent Application No. 24 22 280 describes a similar door system.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,684 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,050 describe door leaves that can be pivoted inside a revolving door and are located on a central shaft. The individual leaves are fastened to the shaft by means of rings. To pivot the doors, the rings, which are pressed against the shaft and fastened by means of a spring force, are pushed out of their normal position. The leaves are displaced by means of a spot load applied by means of the rings. The leaf or its frame is consequently subjected to a non-uniform application of the load.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,081 describes a light alloy frame profile system whereby the leaf is mounted on the ceiling side by means of a support profile and a truck in a rail so that it can be displaced parallel to the stationary side piece. On the floor side, a guide roller which is located on the door leaf is engaged with a profile of the side piece. The side piece is fastened to a floor profile on the floor. A pivoting device between the support profile and the leaf makes it possible to pivot the leaf. The guide roller makes possible a floor-side pivoting of the leaf. The installation of the floor profile is extremely complex and time-consuming, because there is no direct reference point for the side piece that must be subsequently installed and its correct positioning. Consequently, a repeated verification of the positioning in relation to the side piece is necessary to guarantee the correct and long-term operation of the door system. Moreover, the transverse loads that act on the leaf are transmitted directly via the guide roller to the side piece. For example, the interface between the side piece and the floor profile must be subjected to a particularly heavy load to push the side piece out of the floor anchoring.
European Patent document 0 867 593 A2 describes a rail or butt joint connector that can be fastened to a first profile without the need for screws or bolts. The profile connector is realized with a pair of elastic arms, so that it snaps frontally into a rail of the first profile and can be displaced in the rail. The second profile, which is reverse drawn over the profile connector, simultaneously causes a spreading of the arms, so that the profile connector is clamped in the rail of the first profile. This clamping fastening of the profile connector, in particular on heavy door systems, does not guarantee a sufficient frictional connection to prevent subsequent slipping. It is particularly difficult to guarantee uniform elasticity characteristics over the life of such profile connectors.
An object of the present invention is therefore to improve a frame profile system of the type described in claim 1 so that it is substantially aesthetically and functionally uniform and so that it is possible to use in conjunction with the present invention substantially simple fabrication processes that do not waste material as well as substantially uniform installation procedures.
The present invention teaches that this object can be accomplished by the features disclosed in of claim 1. The subclaims disclose advantageous refinements of the object of claim 1.
The object of claim 1 has the advantage that it creates a substantially uniform principle for the connection of profiles. A dovetail-shaped projection is realized inside a rail, in one piece with said rail, on at least one profile that defines an external side, so that the corresponding matching profile can be easily and positively inserted or inserted with a form-fit or clamped to it. This connection principle has been realized consistently over the entire frame profile system, to guarantee a substantially easy and uniform assembly. A number of different profiles can be fastened to one another, such as support profiles, interlocking profiles, leaf profiles, glass strips, profile connectors, etc. An additional advantage results from the substantially uniform receptacle chambers for seals and gaskets.
On account of the substantially simple construction and the substantial uniformity of the fastening areas, additional advantages can be achieved in terms of ease of manufacture, because the same tools and tool parts can be used for these profile segments.
The substantially simple construction of the profiles can result in a reduced requirement for material and simplifies the shaping process, because simpler tool shapes can be used. The realization of substantially identical profile segments can thereby reduce the construction costs for the tools and dies. The structures of the profiles are nevertheless sufficiently stable to withstand the loads that are customarily exerted on a door system, for example. When the profiles are being assembled, the same assembly techniques and tools can be used on account of the substantially uniform profile segments.
The substantially small amount of material required and above all the use of conventional materials can reduce the procurement costs and can reduce the overall weight. At the same time, on account of the advantageous construction, the number of individual parts required is substantially minimized, so that the fabrication expense is essentially low and the assembly into a profile system is significantly simplified.
The connection principle essentially guarantees a substantially simple and substantially uniform assembly process. Above all, the substantially symmetrical construction of the profile connector and the substantially consistent connection principle make possible essentially low fabrication costs, because the only dimension of the profile connector that needs to be adapted is its length; no changes in shape are necessary. Fabrication tolerances in the transverse direction between a fastening rail on a first profile and a fastening base on the profile connector are substantially equalized by a centering device, so that the second profile to be installed comes into essentially correct contact with the first profile. The profile connector is invisible from the outside, and none or essentially none of the functions of the door system are adversely affected. An installation device facilitates the fastening of the profile connector between the profiles.
Simultaneously, the well-established characteristics regarding the uniform distribution of force and the effective mounting have been retained. It is also possible to change the orientation of the door leaf at any time with regard to its position in the supporting profile.
The displacement of the mounting into the connecting point between the shaft and the support arm and the direct and non-rotational fastening of the shaft in a profile realized in one piece significantly facilitates the installation and any maintenance that may be necessary. The essential components of the pivot mounting, namely the support arm and the shaft, are separable and can therefore be replaced individually. The use of gray cast iron material containing graphite for the support arm and steel for the shaft makes the components substantially economical to design and manufacture. In particular, as a result of the use of the gray cast iron material, the necessary requirements regarding friction properties and the ability to withstand high temperatures are substantially met, so that the correct operation of the pivot mounting is essentially guaranteed when the support arm and the shaft are in direct contact. The shaft is preferably not machined further after its original shaping process.
Optionally, an additional bearing bush can be used to realize a particularly smooth-running bearing. In this case, the bearing bush is made of a special material. Material is removed from the bearing boring in the support arm so that after the insertion of the bearing bush, the other components of the pivot mounting can be re-used without any or with only minor modifications. The bearing bush is non-detachably fixed in position in the bearing boring, e.g. by means of assembling work or press-fitting.
The shaft is inserted into the bearing boring of the support arm, and with the interposition of a ring-shaped disc is held on the bearing-side shaft end in the support arm by means of a retaining ring. The ring-shaped disc makes it possible for the shaft to rotate essentially without resistance in the bore of the bearing. The solid shaft is penetrated by a plurality of parallel threaded borings which, after the shaft has been inserted into the profile, are aligned with borings in the profile, so that, by means of screws, the profile and the shaft can then be non-positively fastened to each other. The introduction and centering of the shaft in the profile is facilitated by an inner wall that surrounds the shaft at least partly in a form-fitting or positive manner.
The support arm is inserted or positively inserted into the support profile and is retained by means of screws through a slot on the underside of the support profile. For this purpose, the screws are screwed through threaded borings in the support arm inside the support profile against the upper side of the support profile, so that the support arm is pressed and thus held in position by its form-fit or positive connection with the support profile against the underside of the support profile. Adjustment means are also located underneath the free end of the support arm, so that the leaf can be adjusted with respect to the support profile, in particular after the installation of the glass and the resulting increase in weight.
The installation of the side piece is further simplified because only one component is required to fasten the side piece to the floor and to simultaneously realize the guidance of the leaf on the side piece. A floor profile is pre-assembled at the factory in the transverse profile of the side piece, so that for the final installation on site, the side piece needs to be positioned only once, and can then be immediately fastened in this position. The guide roller on the transverse profile of the leaf can then be introduced into the floor profile from the side. The door system can therefore be quickly and easily installed in this area. The essentially necessary functional characteristics, namely the pushing and optionally the pivoting of the door leaf, remain substantially unrestricted. The movements also become even more stable as a result of the fact that the mechanical loads applied during the pushing or pivoting are absorbed essentially exclusively in the floor profile, which is substantially stable and surrounds the guide roller in a form-fitting or positive manner. Only substantially small loads are exerted on the sensitive connecting points of the side piece.
The above discussed embodiments of the present invention will be described further hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying figures. When the word xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d is used in this specification, the word xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d includes xe2x80x9cinventionsxe2x80x9d, that is, the plural of xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d. By stating xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d, the Applicant does not in any way admit that the present application does not include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention, and maintains that this application may include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention. Applicant hereby asserts that the disclosure of this application may include more than one invention, and, in the event that there is more than one invention, that these inventions may be patentable and non-obvious one with respect to the other.